QATAR APPOINTS WOMEN TO SHURA COUNCIL FOR FIRST TIME

Qatar appointed women to one of its most important consultative bodies, the Shura Council, for the first time in the country's history, according to a royal decree announced Thursday. Four women will sit on the 45-strong council, which is responsible for discussing draft laws approved by the cabinet, general government policy and the state's draft budget, state media said. The announcement comes as Qatar continues to deal with the impact of the worst and most bitter diplomatic crisis in the Gulf for years, which has seen the emirate politically and economically blockaded by neighboring countries.